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Are Your Family Toxic Dumpers?
Chemicals are the worst thing you could put in your normal bin. Chemicals such as paint, pesticides, poisons, cleaners, fluorescent tubes and batteries can have devastating effects on the environment if they get into our water system and environment.
...and how do they get there? Well, we put them there! Think about what you put in your bin or down your sink!
When you put something into your bin, it gets crushed, compressed, squished and dumped into big holes in the ground. So you might think that the chemicals are safe in their containers, but think again, they are now running out, soaking down into the ground to something called the 'water table'. Basically if you kept digging down you would eventually come to wet soil, this is where rainwater is stored. It actually flows downwards against the rock bed until it enters our rivers and streams....which may flow into our dams, and then into our water supply. So think about where you put that tin of paint or bottle of oil, because you could end-up drinking it! On the way there it will poison our wildlife and damage our soils and plants.
Female Polar Bears are acting like males due to chemical pollution
So if you see your mum or dad throwing any things on the following list into the bin, or worse, down the sink - tell them to STOP! Log onto: www.cleanout.com.au if you're in NSW or your local council or government website, and find out where you can dispose of your chemicals 'sensibly'. Your planet will thank you!
It's been found that chemicals have a terrible effect on our eco-systems. Fish, polar bears, alligators, frogs, mollusks, and other wildlife are being affected; they are getting deformaties and not breeding properly as their hormones (the chemicals that make you male or female) are being changed. In polar bears, they found that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs - a chemical found in plastic and other products) was causing the female polar bears to act like males...this is a disaster for the species. Just imagine what these chemicals must be doing to us. We must change things before it's too late. In NSW, the Department of Environment and Climate Change has made a day where you can take all of your chemicals to your council and for free, they will dispose of it appropriately. See the www.cleanout.com.au website. 
DON'T PUT THESE IN THE BIN!paint garden sprays poisons...durh!!! household cleaners (the chemical type, not the lady who comes to mop your floors!) motor or cooking oils fuel batteries pool chemicals fluorescent tubes or energy saving lightbulbs Anything your dad cooks! A good rule is don't put anything in your bin that you think would harm a flower if you poured it on directly. Wherever possible, buy household cleaners which are 'environmentally safe' or better still - make your own from vinegar and bicarb soda...brilliant! By Imogen Wadlow Information sourced from: www.cleanout.com.au - a big thanks to Sam Hewett. Animals' Sexual Changes Linked to Waste, Chemicals: National Geographic, J. Owen; 1/3/04 Images: Skull: Epping Forest District Council Dancing chemicals: safetysmart.com Bottle: Yuba Sutter Disposal Inc. Polluted river: paxriverkeeper.org Polar bears acting like males: freerepublic.com |